If you’re looking in the mirror and not loving what you see, chances are it has more to do with clarity than lines or wrinkles.
“Uneven skin is the most common skin condition that we treat,” says Dr Michele Squire, a microbiologist.
Whether you’re suffering from dark spots, patches of discolouration or post-acne scarring, hyperpigmentation is when the skin’s melanin production process goes into overdrive. The issue is usually brought on by chronic (and often incidental) sun exposure, says Squire, but there are other causes too.
“There’s hormonal triggers like pregnancy,” says Squire. “Also injury or inflammation can lead to dark spots or leave pigmentation behind.”
And that unevenness can make us feel older than we actually are, says Squire. Why? Because on a subconscious level, we see skin clarity in others as a sign of health and vitality, so it makes sense that dark patches cropping up on our own face is going to make us feel less than fresh faced.
That hyperpigmentation knocks around our self-esteem is scientifically backed. “In isolation from wrinkles and sagging or any other signs of ageing, studies have found that uneven skin tone can make people present as more aged, and even less healthy, than people with more even skin tone,” says Squire. “I suspect this is why people want to treat it.”
While topical actives such as lactic acid and vitamin C can help slough away surface cells and brighten skin, sometimes a 360-degree approach is needed for stubborn dark spots.
Enter ingestible brand Vida Glow, which has branched out from its collagen-powder offerings to give us a new inner-health solution to tackle skin clarity head on.
The new vegan gel capsule supplement is called Radiance and it promises to not only fade dark spots but boost hydration and literally give you glow from within. It’s music to the ears of Australian women especially, where sun exposure is high.
“Sun exposure is the greatest cause of oxidative stress in the skin and the biggest cause of those unwanted skin changes, pigmentation, discolouration and dark spots,” says Lauren Dewsbury, senior research scientist at Vida Glow. She explains that Radiance, with its high quota of vitamins, minerals and botanical extracts and a new active called SkinAx2, is a power tool in your daily arsenal to help brighten up dark spots.
But don’t stop at dark spots – these high-tech supplements are also great at fading other imperfections getting in the way of a clear complexion.
“It can really help with multiple types of pigmentation: melasma, dark spots, skin discolouration post-acne, age spots from chronic sun exposure and dark circles under the eyes,” says Dewbury.
And the results have been impressive. An independent randomised double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial found that after eight weeks skin pigmentation was reduced by 99 per cent, while the melanin index saw a reduction of 15 per cent, meaning less pigment in those dark patches. Aside from dark spots, skin density was also boosted, while moisture levels increased by a whopping 80 per cent.
It’s good news for anyone who has skin that is uneven, dull, tired or lacklustre. Take one capsule a day (with a meal) and Anna Lahey, founder of Vida Glow, says you should see a difference in your skin clarity by the 30-day mark. By 60 days you should be absolutely glowing.
“I have been taking Radiance for a bit over two months and the results came in at about a month,” says Lahey. “[The study showed] a significant improvement within 30 days but the improvements at 60 and 90 days were really quite phenomenal.”
But as with everything, consistency is key. “You need to take this every day,” said Lahey. Particularly because pigmentation, even once dealt with, requires attention to keep it permanently at bay, especially in a country with so much incidental sun exposure.
“Pigmentation conditions are really complex,” says Squire. “There are a lot of different triggers driving things, our biggest issue being the sun, which we have to live with.”
So can we get rid of pigmentation for good?
“The answer is yes you can,” says Squire. “The trickier thing is stopping it coming back and that’s where you need a consistent plan of attack to both reduce the pigmentation and then keep it away.”
If a supplement can help get us there… down the hatch.
This story originally appeared in the October issue of marie claire Australia, out now.
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